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Compare Cook Islands (2008) - Turkmenistan (2005)

Compare Cook Islands (2008) z Turkmenistan (2005)

 Cook Islands (2008)Turkmenistan (2005)
 Cook IslandsTurkmenistan
Administrative divisions none 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Age structure 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)


15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)


65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census) (2001 census)
0-14 years: 35.7% (male 909,113/female 860,128)


15-64 years: 60.2% (male 1,462,198/female 1,516,836)


65 years and over: 4.1% (male 78,119/female 125,687) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry cotton, grain; livestock
Airports 9 (2007) 53 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
total: 23


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)
Area total: 236.7 sq km


land: 236.7 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 488,100 sq km


land: 488,100 sq km


water: negl.
Area - comparative 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than California
Background Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to break Russia's pipeline monopoly.
Birth rate 21 births/1,000 population NA (2001 census) 27.68 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $70.95 million


expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
revenues: $3.05 billion


expenditures: $3.05 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital name: Avarua


geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W


time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Ashgabat
Climate tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March subtropical desert
Coastline 120 km 0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)
Constitution 4 August 1965 adopted 18 May 1992
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Cook Islands


former: Harvey Islands
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Turkmenistan


local long form: none


local short form: Turkmenistan


former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic
Death rate NA 8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $141 million (1996 est.) $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)
Dependency status self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON


embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000


mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070


telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45


FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14
Diplomatic representation in the US none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV


chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500


FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697
Disputes - international none cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundary with Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled
Economic aid - recipient $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) $16 million from the US (2001)
Economy - overview Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to a nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2004, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by perhaps 30% in 2003 and 19% in 2004, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the burden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil and gas revenues, and its unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.
Electricity - consumption 27.9 million kWh (2005 est.) 8.908 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 1.136 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 30 million kWh (2005) 11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Te Manga 652 m
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)


highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Environment - current issues NA contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)
Exchange rates NZ dollars per US dollar - 1.3811 (2007), 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003) Turkmen manats per US dollar - 10,100 (2004), 10,034 (2003), 10,098 (2002), 5,200 (2001)


note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 21,000 manats to the dollar
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Brian DONNELLY (since 21 February 2008), representative of New Zealand


head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president


note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28 December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty)


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note - President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president


election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA
Exports - commodities copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles
Exports - partners Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2006) Ukraine 46.6%, Iran 17.3%, Turkey 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15.1%


industry: 9.6%


services: 75.3% (2004)
agriculture: 28.5%


industry: 42.7%


services: 28.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.1% (2005 est.) IMF estimate: 7.5%


note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are notoriously unreliable (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 14 S, 159 46 W 40 00 N, 60 00 E
Geography - note the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau
Heliports - 1 (2004 est.)
Highways - total: 24,000 km


paved: 19,488 km


unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)
Illicit drugs - transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan
Imports 429.3 bbl/day (2004) NA
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2006) US 11.8%, Russia 9.7%, UAE 9.2%, Ukraine 9%, Turkey 8.6%, Germany 8%, France 5%, Georgia 4.6%, Iran 4.5% (2004)
Independence none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 1% (2002) official government estimate: 22% (2003 est.)
Industries fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 69.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2005 est.) 9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation ACP, ADB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Irrigated land NA 17,500 sq km (2003 est.)
Judicial branch High Court Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 6,820 (2001) 2.32 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 29%


industry: 15%


services: 56% (1995)
agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 3,736 km


border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Land use arable land: 16.67%


permanent crops: 8.33%


other: 75% (2005)
arable land: 3.72%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 96.14% (2001)
Languages English (official), Maori Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Legal system based on New Zealand law and English common law based on civil law system
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (25 seats, 24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands, 1 seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders


note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers


elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)


election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV


note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 61.39 years


male: 58.02 years


female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 95%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.8%


male: 99.3%


female: 98.3% (1995 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Map references Oceania Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 112,129 GRT/126,160 DWT


by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 11 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 9) (2007)
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT


by type: cargo 3, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request -
Military branches no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007) Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $90 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.4% (FY99)
National holiday Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) Independence Day, 27 October (1991)
Nationality noun: Cook Islander(s)


adjective: Cook Islander
noun: Turkmen(s)


adjective: Turkmen
Natural hazards typhoons (November to March) NA
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt
Net migration rate - -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
People - note 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017 -
Pipelines - gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE] Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]


note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 21,750 (July 2007 est.) 4,952,081 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 58% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census) 1.81% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Turkmenbasy
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways - total: 2,440 km


broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)
Religions Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Sex ratio 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census) at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage NA years of age; universal (adult) 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex


domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable


international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: poorly developed


domestic: NA


international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat
Telephones - main lines in use 6,200 (2002) 374,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,500 (2002) 52,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) 4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)
Terrain low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west
Total fertility rate 3.1 children born/woman (2001 census) 3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 13.1% (2005) 60% (2004 est.)
Waterways - 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways) (2003)
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